Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar was back in Knoxville on Tuesday to participate in UT’s Pro Day.

Aguilar was hoping to return to Tennessee in 2026, but a judge denied an injunction earlier this offseason that would’ve granted the California native another season of eligibility.

As a result, Aguilar’s attention is now on the 2026 NFL Draft.

Former Super Bowl MVP labels Joey Aguilar as a top three quarterback in the draft

Super Bowl XXI MVP Phil Simms has Aguilar as his No. 3 quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft (behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Alabama’s Ty Simpson).

Simms is higher on Aguilar than a number of analysts, many of whom have the former Vol going undrafted.

“Number three, which catches a lot of people by surprise — I’m just going to say, then go do a little research and tell me what a surprise it is — and that’s Joey Aguilar, the quarterback for the Tennessee Volunteers,” said Simms.

“Listen, when you watch him play, you go, wow,” continued Simms. “He looks like a pro quarterback already. He’s a big guy, 6-foot-3… He’s athletic enough. The size that he is is a big deal, too. Because, man, he took some, well, there’s no other way to say it — he took some ass whoopings down there. He’s throwing the ball and, I mean, he’s just getting blown up. But he has great technique throwing the football. He’s another one who doesn’t lose control… He uses his feet really well.”

Simms’ son, former Texas Longhorns and NFL quarterback Chris Simms, is also high on Aguilar, ranking the former Tennessee quarterback as his No. 4 quarterback in the draft.

We’ll see if any NFL teams feel the same way about Aguilar as the Simms family when the 2026 NFL Draft takes place from April 23 to April 25 in Pittsburgh.

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